It’s that time of the year again when the weather is getting colder and there is pumpkin flavored everything everywhere. Two of my favorite quintessential fall treats are Pumpkin Bars and this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread that’s filled with warm spices, lots of pumpkin flavor and little speckles of sweet chocolate chips. You can easily make it – no baking experience necessary!

This is the best pumpkin bread I’ve tasted and the good news is it’s very easy to make, super moist, and has that impeccable pumpkin flavor that everyone loves. And if you find yourself with leftover pumpkin from making this bread, you can definitely use it to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes, or even Pumpkin Pasta!

How to make pumpkin chocolate chip bread

Start by mixing together the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil and applesauce.

Now you’re ready to mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and fold in the chocolate chips. You want to mix until there are no more flour streaks, being careful not to over-mix.

Pour the pumpkin chocolate chip bread batter into a greased pan and bake for 60-65 minutes. You might need to tent the loaf when it’s more than halfway through baking if you notice that it’s starting to brown before the center is cooked. Make sure to cool it for 10 minutes, and then invert the bread onto a wire rack before slicing.

Tips for making chocolate chip pumpkin bread

Use pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling. The cans sit right next to each other on shelves, so it’s easy to mistake them for each other. But you want to make sure the only ingredient is pumpkin puree since you’ll be adding the sugar and spices to make the pumpkin chocolate chip bread.

Don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing will cause holes in the batter, where the air bubbles escaped, and this essentially makes the bread tough. To avoid over-mixing, make sure the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed separately before combining. And, then combine using a wooden or silicone spatula, not a mixer.

Grease the pan with a high quality cooking spray. You can also flour it after you grease it to prevent sticking. Some sticking might not be preventable though.

Tent the loaf pan with aluminum foil to avoid burning the top of the pumpkin bread. You’ll notice that the bread will puff up quite a bit from the pan while it’s baking. Sometimes this could lead to the edges browning too much before the bread is fully baked. Tenting the aluminum on top will help with this. I usually add it at at the 45-minute mark.

Frequently asked questions

How do you know when pumpkin bread is done?

The toothpick trick is my favorite way to check for doneness. If it’s inserted into the center of the loaf and comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it, then the pumpkin bread is ready.

How long does pumpkin bread last?

Pumpkin bread will stay fresh for 2 days if left in an airtight container at room temperature. However, it will last up to 1 week in the fridge.

Can you freeze pumpkin bread?

Yes you can! Cool the pumpkin bread completely. Then tightly wrap the entire loaf or the slices in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then placed the wrapped loaf or slices in a freezer-friendly storage bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.

What makes pumpkin bread moist?

The oil is what makes this pumpkin chocolate chip bread moist. The classic recipe for pumpkin bread uses 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil. To make this chocolate chip pumpkin bread with less fat, I substitute some of that oil for applesauce. The pureed pumpkin also adds moisture to the batter while also lending that pumpkin taste!

I’m all in for pumpkin season as long as it involves pumpkin chocolate chip bread. It’s such an easy recipe that you can whip up in 10 minutes and offer to your friends and family for a cozy, comforting treat during the fall. Double the recipe and freeze some for later. It freezes beautifully and tastes even better when the flavors settle in!

More quick bread recipes:

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or coat with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil and applesauce in another large bowl.

Pour the dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent the top and sides from getting too brown. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.

Video

Notes

Recipe: Adapted from Taste of Home with modifications to swap some oil for applesauce.

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Freezing Instructions: Cool the pumpkin bread completely. Then tightly wrap the entire loaf or the slices in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Then place the wrapped loaf or slices in a freezer-friendly storage bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.

Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.

You can substitute whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour, but the texture will not be as moist.

To make this gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix, but again the texture will not be as moist. Do not substitute only almond flour or only coconut flour though.

You can substitute the sugar for coconut sugar

Substitute the grapeseed oil for any other neutral oil or for applesauce or more pureed pumpkin.

You can substitute homemade pumpkin puree but I think the taste is better with canned pumpkin.

Nutritional Data: The information below is an automated estimate and could vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used.

What kind of oil can I use instead of grape seed? What can I use instead of applesauce? Can I use vegan choc chips? If I read your substitution post correctly I can use vegetable oil and more pumpkin? Same measurements? Any difference in cooking temp or time?

Hi there, yes, you can use any type of neutral oil or coconut oil instead of grape seed oil. Also, instead of applesauce you can use the same amount of oil or you can use the same amount of pumpkin. There’s no difference in the cooking temperature or time. Hope it works out!

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From the Foodie

I'm Yumna. I literally learned to cook 2 weeks after I got married over the phone with my mom. When I was brave enough to fly solo, I started treading on trendy foodie territory and built an Instagram page with over 2 MILLION followers. Now I have hundreds of real good food recipes that will make you and your family feel oh-so good!